Oregon Centennial

Oregon Centennial

The Oregon Centennial was the 100th anniversary of the statehood of the U.S. state of Oregon. The day of the anniversary was February 14, 1959, but centennial events took place throughout the year. Festivities where held all over the state, with the major attractions at the Oregon Centennial Exposition and International Trade Fair in the Kenton neighborhood of Portland, which took place from June 10 to September 17, 1959. The exposition's theme was "Frontier of the Future". Centennial-related events and attractions included a play, a musical, parades, specially commissioned artworks by muralist Carl Morris, and a new centennial train at the Oregon Zoo. Local communities created monuments to celebrate the anniversary, including a totem pole and a huge Paul Bunyan statue in Kenton. Many communities had to raise money to finance their celebration plans. One method used to raise funds was the sale of Oregon Centennial Tokens. Many private companies also created Centennial items for sale. In 2009, the state will celebrate the Oregon Sesquicentennial, also known as "Oregon 150".